


When Walls Crumble

by ofhopesanddreams



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Post Episode: s01e08 Father's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-15
Updated: 2015-10-15
Packaged: 2018-04-26 11:31:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5003134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ofhopesanddreams/pseuds/ofhopesanddreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of Father's Day, Rose tries to keep it together. When she can't, the Doctor is there to comfort her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When Walls Crumble

He knew that look. He could see it in her eyes and the shift in her features that Rose Tyler was putting on a brave face, shutting down the pain threatening to claw its way out of her heart, and locking away everything that had happened. The Doctor excelled with this, and felt a pang when he wondered if she was picking it up from him.

Taking her hand, they slowly walked away from her father's body and back to the TARDIS. Once inside, Rose immediately offered to make tea and rushed off to the galley. The Doctor frowned at her retreating form, then went over to the console and sent them into the Vortex.

Finally making it to the galley, he caught a glimpse of Rose staring blankly into her steaming mug before she noticed him and looked up. She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. He could see the pain in them, and he felt another pang.

"I made chamomile," Rose said quietly, "Thought we could use something soothing. I know you like lemon with this kind, so I went ahead and added some. Hope it's enough."

The Doctor took a sip and hummed in approval. "It’s perfect, Rose, thank you.”

"Oh good. No problem.”

She turned her attention back to her tea, lifting it so she could breathe it in before taking a few sips. As he looked at her, the Doctor’s expression was laced with guilt.

Guilt. The incessant gnawing of it was nothing new, but after today's events, it felt more like stabs of a knife. She had watched her father die twice today, as well as watch himself die by getting eaten by a reaper. She had apologized, and of course he forgave her, but he never apologized for his part in all this. He should.

The universe is unkind. He’s known that for a long time, and if Rose didn’t know it before she met him, she had learned it their very first trip to the end of the Earth. And although she’s told him she’s glad she met him and wants this life, he still felt selfish for exposing her to just how cruel it can be, letting her get hurt and almost killed...just because he couldn't live without her. He didn't deserve her, but that didn't stop him from keeping her.

Yeah. Definitely selfish.

They drank their tea in silence, the Doctor watching Rose carefully as she continued to be seemingly entranced with the task. She was cradling the mug with both hands, and while the tea seemed to be helping, her shoulders were still hunched and eyebrows were still drawn together. He could tell she was losing her fight to keep it all together. Downing the rest of her tea, she abruptly stood up to rinse out her mug and set it in the sink. Turning to face him, she took a deep breath and spoke in an obviously forced casual-bordering-on-cheerful tone. 

“I’m knackered. I think I’ll head to bed, kay?”

The Doctor regarded her for a moment, but nodded. As she left, he asked the TARDIS to keep an eye on her and let him know if she needs him.

It didn’t take long.

Half an hour later, the Doctor found himself outside of Rose’s room, having come as soon as the TARDIS told him she was crying. He could hear her through the door, and slowly opened it enough to slip in before closing it behind him. Without being asked, the TARDIS turned up the lights so that the room was dim instead of dark. Rose didn’t move from where she was curled up on top of her blankets, but there was a drastic decrease in the level of her crying – just sniffles instead of sobs. The Doctor sat down next to her, and the dip in the bed finally made her look up. Her eyes were puffy and her cheeks were streaked with mascara, but she was still the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.

“Oh, Rose,” he breathed, holding out his arms. “c’mere.”

With a whimper, she crawled onto his lap and into his arms, burrowing her face into the crook between his neck and shoulder. He felt her tears soaking into his jumper and held her tightly.

“M’so sorry,” she cried, voice a bit muffled.

“I know. And I forgave you, don’t you remember?”

She nodded, sniffling repeatedly.

“Good. But… I’m sorry, too.” At that, she pulled back to look at him.

“Why?”

“There’s a lot I hadn’t explained to you, and I should’ve. About paradoxes and reapers and all the nastiness that happens when you mess with timelines. And maybe if I had, we could’ve avoided the world almost ending.” He gave her a small smile as he wiped some of her tears away. “But it all worked out, in the end. You know your father loved you, you as you are right now, and that he’s proud of who you’ve grown up to be. And on top of that, you didn’t let him die on his own. You, Rose Tyler, were still fantastic.” The Doctor’s voice was gentle, full of affection.

Rose smiled and whispered, “Yeah?”

“Yes.”

He smiled as she snuggled up against his chest again, and held her tightly before adding in a teasing tone, “That is not permission to do it again, mind.”

Rose huffed out a laugh and nodded, breathing in the familiar scents of leather mixed with Doctor.


End file.
